ABSTRACT
In the plains on the fringe of the hills, in the broad low valleys, and wherever roads traversed the highlands, Gonds have long lived in close contact with populations of different cultural heritage, sometimes sharing one village site and sometimes inhabiting separate hamlets. The Kolams, like the Gonds, are organized in exogamous clans, and most of these have names identical with those of certain Gond clans. Resembling the Kolams in many respects and often confused with them by outsiders is the Naikpods, to whom the Gonds refer as Mache. Gond custom is in this respect very strict and sexual intercourse with any outsider other than Kolams is considered a serious offence. In the older literature on the Gonds of middle India the Pardhans are often described as the priests of the Gonds. Wojaris or Otaris are a caste of brass-founders widely scattered over both Gondwana and Marathwara.
